Georgina Grundy-Campbell (Class of 1998)

Georgie’s work as a medic in the field of mental health has taken her all round the world to work with communities torn apart by conflict or epidemics.

Georgie was oneof the first girls to join Latymer, then an all-boys School. She was recently awarded both an MBE and the Operational Service Medal in recognition of her work in the Ebola Response mission in Sierra Leone. Georgie had worked in West Africa for several years on an EU funded programme to build a mental health system when the first cases of Ebola were reported. She joined the International Medical Corps in Sierra Leone to design a programme that would look after the mental health and pyscho-social need of Ebola patients, their family members, community members and medical staff. Her most recent mission has been to help with the Syrian refugee crisis in Antakya, Turkey.

What advice would you give a Latymerian thinking about working in your field?

“I’d say it is hugely rewarding – but not easy. For humanitarian work you have to be open-minded and flexible in your thinking – and be prepared to work really hard!”

Georgie was in the first cohort of girls to join Latymer’s Sixth Form and she went on to read Psychology and Spanish at Newcastle University. What are her memories of Latymer?

“I really loved Latymer. My best memory is of the Politics and Philosophy discussion groups that were run by my favourite teacher Mr Bearman. He was amazing – such a great teacher and so supportive.”

Does Georgie keep in touch with her Latymer friends?

“I’ve got life-long friends from Latymer whom I’m still in touch with. They’re so supportive. When I first went out to Sierra Leone I started a small charity – the Ngbotima Charity Trust – I’m still running it. A lot of my Latymer friends have been really important in helping me do that.”